Seasons Greetings

Proposed GMSF Greenbelt Land for 4000 houses - High Lane

Newsletter December 2016 - Edition 12

The society's December 2016 Newsletter is now available.

To view the full newsletter see HERE

Report on Marple Area Committee Meeting 14th December 2016

A report on the Marple Area Committee Meeting that took place on the 14th December 2016 can be viewed HERE

The council's Public Realm report can be viewed HERE

A major part of the meeting was devoted to a presentation by Stockport MBC officers about the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.  Officers invited residents to respond to the plan which they assured them is a genuine consultation.  Resident's concerns about issues such as transport infrastructure and pollution were answered by vague promises that solutions would be provided in due course and that the plan is "not at that stage yet".  Unsurprisingly, the plan for 4000 houses in High Lane is at that stage.

Marple Civic Society's response to the consultation can be found HERE

Future Marple Area Committee meeting dates:

1st February 2017
8th March 2017
12th April 2017
7th June 2017
12th July 2017
9th August 2017
27th September 2017
8th November 2017
13th December 2017
31st January 2018
7th March 2018
18th April 2018

Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Response to GMSF Consultation

The Campaign  to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has submitted a comprehensive response to the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework consultation.

The CPRE supports a plan-led approach to regeneration and economic development. However their response identifies lack of evidence for many assumptions in the plan including economic growth, failure in the "duty to co-operate" with adjoining planning authorities and failure to adequately consider brownfield land.

See HERE for the full CPRE report 

Greater Manchester Spatial Framework - Consultation Extended

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has announced that the public consultation on the first draft of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) has been extended to 16th January 2017.

To respond to the consultation see HERE

To see Marple Civic Society's response see HERE

Planning Application DC/064057 Erection of 7 detached houses, including demolition of one dwelling at 10 Manor Road, Marple

The Society's planning team has sent a response to SMBC's planning department to recommend refusal of planning application DC/064057 (Erection of 7 detached houses, including demolition of one dwelling and provision of vehicular access at 10 Manor Road Marple).

To view the application documents see HERE

To view the society's response in full see HERE

Members and others are free to use the society's response to planning aplications to inform their own response.

Greater Manchester Spatial Framework Consultation - Civic Society Response

The civic society has prepared a response to the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) which plans 4,000 houses for High Lane. See our response HERE

YOU CAN USE THE SOCIETY'S RESPONSE TO WRITE YOUR OWN RESPONSE 

TO THE GMSF CONSULTATION

The proposed development in High Lane plans 4,000 houses on green belt, mostly agricultural land between Buxton Lane (A6), Windlehurst Road, Torkington Lane and Threaphurst Lane, and extends across Windlehurst Road around Windlehurst Hall and bound by Andrew Lane to the south. If it goes ahead it will more than double the size of High Lane and have an enormous impact, not just on High Lane, but the wider Marple area. 

There is still chance to find out more at the Marple Area Committee meeting on Wednesday 14th December at 6-00pm in Marple Senior Citizens Hall. You can find the full GMSF consultation HERE and you can respond in 3 ways:

• on line: http://gmsf-consult.objective.co.uk/portal
• by email: GMSF@agma.gov.uk
• by post: Greater Manchester Support Team, PO Box 532, Town Hall,                        Manchester, M60 2LA

This consultation finishes 23rd December - all responses must be submitted by then.

The civic society committee has attended relevant meetings, considered various views, and discussed the issues at length at an extraordinary committee meeting on 2nd December. Our planners, having read through and considered all the GMSF consultation data, have prepared the society's response and will submit to GMSF by 19th December.

Feel free to use the society's response to help you write your own response 

see HERE

it will add weight if you say it in your own words and with your own examples. 

The important thing is to respond 

Committee and Audit Meeting Minutes 29th November 2016

Committee meeting minutes can be found HERE
Audit meeting minutes can be found HERE

A shortened committee was held prior to the audit meeting, held to review the past year's work and plan for next year.

Report on Extraordinary Marple Area Committee Meeting 23rd November 2016

A report on the extraordinary Marple Area Committee Meeting that took place on 23rd November 2016 can be viewed HERE

The meeting was dedicated to the issue of the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road - complimentary measures for High Lane (traffic calming).  Areas covered include Windlehurst Road, Andrew Lane, Torkington Lane and Threaphurst Lane.

Future Marple Area Committee Meeting Dates:

14th December 2016 (This meeting will include a presentation by SMBC officers on the GMSF)
1st February 2017
8th March 2017
12th April 2017
7th June 2017
12th July 2017
9th August 2017
27th September 2017
8th November 2017
13th December 2017
31st January 2018
7th March 2018
18th April 2018

Marple Area Committee Meeting 23rd November 2016

The next Marple Area Committee meeting will take place on 23rd November 2016 in High Lane Village Hall at 6-00pm and will concentrate on the A6 to Manchester Airport relief Road (A6MARR) traffic mitigation measures.

There are a number of report for consideration, see HERE for details.

Future Area Committee dates are:

An extraordinary meeting of the Area Committee to discuss the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (this includes the proposal to build 4000 houses on greenbelt in High Lane). The meeting will be held in High Lane Village Hall on 30th November 2016 at 6-00pm

A scheduled meeting of the Area Committee that will discuss the Greater Manchester Spacial framework (as above) to be held in Marple Senior Citizens Hall on 14th December 2016 at 6-00pm

War Memorials Follow-up Workshop

Last month the society hosted a War Memorials Workshop run by Civic Voice, the national charity for the Civic Movement.

The workshop was part of a national project to list and condition survey the estimated 100,000 memorials nationally.  The project is supported by Civic Voice, War Memorials Trust, Imperial War Museum and Historic England.

Last Friday (19th November) the society hosted a follow-up workshop to assess progress.  Delegates reported that 32 memorials had either been listed, or were in the process of being listed, on the national database together with survey data and photos.

Workshop in Action!

All Saint's War Memorial

Anna Wilson, Civic Voice

Civic Voice War Memorials Development Officer, Anna Wilson, informed the meeting that four freestanding memorials in Marple are probably eligible for national Grade II listing.  The four are Marple Memorial Park, All Saint's Church, St Paul's Compstall and United Reformed Church, Marple Bridge.

See more photos HERE

Photos Arthur Procter and Gillian Postill

Assets of Community Value (ACV) Update

The Civic Society has been campaigning to change Stockport MBC guidance on Assets of Community Value to bring the guidance in line with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011.  Following initial difficulties the guidance is now fully compliant and is a good example of what can be achieved when communities and local authorities work together.

The authority asked if we knew of other authorities who had specific arrangements for publicising "intention to dispose" and, if so, they would review their procedures in the light of further information.  We have contacted Civic Voice who have added our request for help to the latest Civic Update (see below) so we look forward  to hearing from fellow Civic Voice members from across the country.

Civic Voice News Item

See HERE for more Civic Voice News 

Report on Marple Area Committee Meeting 9th November 2016

A report on the Marple Area Committee Meeting that took place 9th November 2016 can be viewed HERE

The meeting discussed a cost saving proposal by the council to reduce "black bin" waste disposal collections from every two weeks to every three weeks.  See the meeting notes for details of the proposal and comments by councillors and residents.
The council are inviting comments either online HERE 
or on pre-printed consultation forms available from Marple Library.

All responses must be received either online or in writing (hand in forms to Library staff) by 21st December 2016 when the consultation closes.

Further Marple Area Committee Meeting dates:

14th December 2016
1st February 2017
8th March 2017
12th April 2017

All Meetings take place at 6-00pm in Marple Senior Citizens Hall (5-30pm for informal discussions with councillors)

Marple Area Committee Meeting Wednesday 9th November 2016 - Open Forum Discussion

The next Marple Area Committee Meeting on 9th November will take place at 6-00pm in Marple Senior Citizens Hall. (5-30pm for informal discussions with councillors and 5-00pm for GMSF Roadshow display - see below)

The meeting will include a presentation by a representative from Manchester Airport on the airport's development plans and a presentation on the council's Medium Term Financial Plan.

There will also be a poster display about the Greater Manchester Spacial Framework (GMSF) with officers available to answer questions starting at 5-00pm. See HERE for details.

The GMSF is the overarching development plan for the ten local authorities making up Greater Manchester.  The plan identifies sites for homes and jobs in each area but does not cover everything that a local plan would cover.  Individual districts will continue to produce their own local plans.

However, the GMSF has identified an area of greenbelt in High Lane to provide 4000 homes.  The proposal is now open for consultation.

Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) Public Consultation

The draft Greater Manchester Spacial Framework (GMSF) has been published and is open for consultation from 31st October to 23rd December 2016.


The plan includes approximately 4000 houses in our area.

See map below for local areas affected.

Further details on the draft consultation can be found HERE

Responses may be made online to:  http://gmsf-consult.objective.co.uk or

by email to: GMSF@agma.gov.uk or

by post to: Greater Manchester Integrated Support Team
                  PO Box 532
                  Town Hall
                  Manchester
                  M60 2LA

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Civic Voice AGM and Convention October 2016

The Civic Voice AGM and Convention took place this year in Chester on 21st and 22nd October. Marple Civic Society was represented by committee members Gillian and Alan Postill and Arthur Procter.

Chester Cathedral

After registration on Friday delegates were treated to tours of Chester including the historic "Rows", the Cathedral, Racecourse and canals.

The conference dinner was held at the Racecourse conference suite followed by a tour of local pubs.

Saturday's business meeting and workshops continued at the racecourse.

Delegates enjoyed a splendid dinner
in the Racecourse conference suite

This has been a year of change for Civic Voice with the appointment of five new trustees, replacing those who have come to the end of their period of office, and the creation of four vice presidents. Joan Humble becomes chair of trustees.

See HERE for details.

Retiring chair Freddie Gick, Gillian Postill, new chair Joan Humble
and Executive Director Ian Harvey

Freddie Gick becomes one of the four newly created vice presidents, the other three are Architect Sir Terry Farrell, Baroness Andrews, former chair of English Heritage and Laura Sandys former chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Civic Societies.

Griff Rhys Jones continues as Civic Voice President.



More photos HERE

All Photos Arthur Procter

Committee Meeting Minutes 27th September 2016

Committee meeting minutes of 27th September 2016 can be viewed HERE

Civic Society Host War Memorials Workshop

On Friday 14th October the Society hosted a War Memorials Workshop in Marple library run by Civic Voice, the national charity for the Civic Movement.

The workshop is part of a national project which aims to list and condition survey the estimated 100,000 memorials nationally to protect them for the future.  The project is supported by Civic Voice, War Memorials Trust, Imperial War Museum and Historic England. Further details HERE

The well attended workshop drew delegates from Marple, Stockport and neighbouring towns.  The workshop included a practical session to learn how to survey a war memorial and add it to the national database of war memorials.

Wm Wragg MP, Anna Wilson (Civic Voice),
Gillian Postill (Marple Civic Society),  Joan Humble (Civic Voice Trustee)

Delegates at Work

Workshop delegates visit the memorial in Marple Memorial Park

More photo can be viewed HERE

All photos Arthur Procter

ASDA Car Parking Update

We're pleased to announce that the ASDA car parking signs now reflect the parking arrangments of the lease agreement dated 13 November 1989 between Stockport Council and the tenant (formerly the Co-op and now ASDA).

After a long battle to get the signs changed last year it was particularly disappointing when ASDA's new car parking operator erected new signs that were again in breach of ASDA's lease agreement with Stockport Council.

Before tackling the problem for the second time we were successful in obtaining the details of the lease agreement from the legal department at Stockport Council; something we didn't succeed in last year as the terms of the agreement were deemed 'confidential between the parties'. (See details of agreement below).

The new car parking signs in ASDA car park, Marple

Details of the Lease Agreement - 1989 - between Stockport Council and ASDA 
(the current tenant)

"The lease provides that the "demised land" is not to be used for anything other than a shoppers' car park and that members of the public may use it between 9am and 9pm Mondays to Saturdays but that during trading hours the tenant (formerly the Co-op and now Asda) can charge vehicles parking there for longer than two hours.  It also states that outside trading hours the car park should be available to the public without charge (but can be closed after midnight"

Civic Society Annual Social Evening

The society held its annual social evening for members and friends last Thursday, 6th October.  Our patron Andrew Stunell (now Lord Stunell) spoke on his "Life in Politics' during the 18 years he has represented us in Parliament.  His wide ranging and entertaining talk looked at the challenges,  joys and occasional sad moments of his work over the past years.




Andrew will continue as Patron of the Civic Society and we wish him well in his new role as a Peer sitting in the House of Lords.

More photos HERE

All Photos Arthur Procter

Report on Marple Area Committee Meeting 28th September 2016

A report on the Marple Area Committee Meeting that took place on 28th September 2016 can be viewed HERE


Future Marple Area Committee dates:

9th November 2016
14th December 2016
1st February 2017
8th March 2017
12th April 2017

All meetings take place at 6-00pm in Marple Senior Citizens Hall (5.30pm informal discussion with councillors).  
Due to exceptional circumstances the 28th September meeting took place in High Lane Village Hall.

Members Social Evening Thursday 6th October

The society's annual members' social evening will take place this Thursday, 6th October, in Marple Library commencing at 7-30pm, doors open at 7.15pm.

Our patron, Lord Andrew Stunell, will speak of "A Life in Politics" - a light hearted look at 18 years as MP for the Hazel Grove constituency, representing the people of Marple in Parliament.

The evening is free to members and friends, please join us for a relaxing evening over a glass of wine and nibbles.

Greater Manchester Spatial Framework - Greenbelt Petition

Our MP, William Wragg MP, has launched a petition to "Protect our Greenbelt".

He is greatly concerned about the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework plan and its potential threat to our Greenbelt.  He has launched a petition and is seeking support from residents and community groups.

The first consultation on the GMSF plan is expected to be published within the next few days.  It is rumoured that the plan will have a very significant effect on Marple and High Lane including the greenbelt.  The society will monitor the situation closely and keep members informed of developments. 

In the meantime if you would like to support William Wragg's petition follow the link below.

http://williamwraggmp.wixsite.com/protectourgreenbelt

Neighbourhood Forum - Newsletter Number 2

Marple Neighbourhood Forum has published its second newsletter which can be viewed HERE
The first open meeting of the forum will take place on Saturday 29th October starting at 10am in Marple Library.
The forum is preparing a Neighbourhood Plan for Marple which, if adopted by residents in a referendum, will be incorporated into the Stockport MBC planning policy for Marple.  It is vitally important that a broad cross section of the community contributes ideas and views.  If you care about Marple please try to attend on the 29th.

Marple Area Committee meeting Wednesday 28th September 2016 - Change of Venue

Stockport MBC Democratic Services have notified us that the next Marple Area Committee Meeting will be held in High Lane Village Hall on Wednesday 28th September 2016 at 6-00pm.
The meeting will include an "Open Forum" discussion on the council's budget priorities for 2017-18 during which residents will be able to express their views on spending priorities for Marple and district.
The council's website will publish a brief report on 20th September to facilitate discussion. We will circulate the report to members as soon as it becomes available.

Refurbished Bench - Marple Precinct

Marple Civic society recently sponsored the refurbishment of a bench in Marple Precinct. The installation of the bench was originally sponsored by the Civic                            Society and McNair Trust in 2004.








The Friends of Marple Memorial Park are undertaking the refurbishment of all the benches in the precinct and are looking for sponsorship for each bench.









If you are interesting in sponsoring a bench, you will need to be quick as numerous sponsors are coming forward now that the splendid results are there for all to see.